diving extension/pitch-back

[BlackBerry]

In fairness to the IL2 AI, I did the same auto-pilot P-47D-10 vs. Spitfire Mk IXc test I ran earlier, but with Ace P-47 and Rookie Spitfire. Not surprisingly, it usually plays out exactly as Johnson described it.

Assuming that the Spitfire survives the head-on pass, the engagement generally goes like this: 1) Spitfire burns off too much E in turns trying to follow the P-47's zoom climb or dive in the first pass. 2) Once the spit loses enough E, P-47 uses marginally better top speed and superior dive or zoom climb to extend. 3) P-47 extends, zoom climbs, turns into the opponent, and rolls and climbs as the Spitfire comes in for another head-on pass, getting a ~45 degree deflection shot on the Spitfire's forward quarter. Spit takes mortal damage to its engine or gets shot up badly enough that it loses its speed/ maneuverability advantage. 4) P-47 finishes off the Spit at its leisure.

No, your test with AI is not suitable for Johnson's story.

For Johnson, he begin to dive when s spitfireIX on his 6 o'clock, not head to head.

A)Bleeding a tight turning spitfireIX's energy is very easy. An experienced spit pilot will NOT let this happen. He also wanna bleed your energy.

B)Bleeding a straight flight spitfireIX's energy is your real task. If you accomplish this, you may beat a Spitfire ACE. This is the purpose of Shaw's text, he is NOT saying how to beat a rookie opponent, he is telling us how to implement your aircraft performance, how to beat a kind of aircraft. Follow his instruction, you will establish energy advantage regardless who is the opponent pilot. ACE or rookie? No difference. You don't need to care about it.

To reproduce in il2 FB, we need NOT barrel/scissor maneuver, just let p47c fly 400m ahead of spitfireIX, same speed, same altitude,ie 5000ft. Then p47c begin to dive extend (near deck) and pitch back, SpitfireIX FOLLOWS. After extend to deck, you begin to zoom, the zoom angle as you wish. We'll see how much energy advantage p47c/d10 establishes when finish the tactic(speed drops to 300km/h). Fly straight during the whole process, don't evade spit's bullet. Good luck.